With the NBA season already underway, Marv Albert, incredibly, is still in negotiations with Net ownership to call games on YES this year, sources tell NYP TV Sports.

New Net owner Bruce Ratner likes the idea of adding Albert’s legendary voice as a precursor to the team’s proposed move to Brooklyn. While most fans associate Albert with the Knicks, he grew up in Brooklyn.

Meanwhile, the established voice of the Nets, Ian Eagle, is expected to remain as the lead play-by-player for this season.

“I have a contract for this year,” Eagle said.

“I’m looking forward to the season ahead. I have covered the team for 11 years, I’d like to do at least another 11.”

The word is that Albert – who severed ties with the Knicks after nearly four decades over censorship and money – would do 10-12 games this year with an eye toward a bigger workload next year.

“I can’t say anything,” Albert said. “I have great respect for the Nets ownership and management and the people at YES.”

Albert declined to answer questions regarding Eagle’s fate.

A schedule supplied by YES stated that Spero Dedes will fill in for Eagle on Saturday’s Net-Sun game. Eagle’s absence is due to his Raider-Panther NFL assignment on CBS.

A Net spokesman declined comment, while a YES spokesman said the network doesn’t comment on speculation.

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Because ESPN’s Shelley Smith is a solid reporter without a “look at me” approach, she can be overlooked. Not this week, though.

On Monday, a perturbed Kobe Bryant abruptly ended an interview with reporters after two innocuous questions from Smith about the Lakers’ offense. A Laker spokesman informed Smith and her producer that Bryant will not answer questions from her.

Bryant’s beef stemmed from months ago. After the news leaked that Bryant supposedly told Colorado police that Shaquille O’Neal paid $1 million to keep woman quiet, Smith asked Bryant if he still had the trust of his teammates. Bryant asked, “Why wouldn’t I?” Smith referenced the “locker room code.” Bryant said to ask his teammates. She did.

Smith said she welcomes a clear-the-air session, but she won’t apologize. “I wouldn’t change what we did or the way we approached it,” Smith said by phone.

Laker spokesman John Black said that, while the organization respects ESPN greatly, it was disappointed in some of its Bryant rape-case angles. Black said some of the stories seemed “preconceived.” Black said Bryant was unavailable for a phone interview.

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YES has CenterStage shows at 9 p.m. every Sunday in November. Phil Jackson is Michael Kay’s guest this Sunday.